GERMAN growth has reached its highest point for 10 years and analysts are predicting it could go even higher than expected next year.

The economies of France and Germany have come through the recession, according to figures released today.

BRITAIN and France, the second and third-biggest European economies, racked up record trade deficits last year as an appreciation in the euro and the pound curbed export growth.

GERMANY has been the sick man of Europe for almost a decade and despite major attempts by Gerhard Schroeder and his Social Democrats (SPD) to introduce reform, the country’s growth remains among the slowest of any EU country.